LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Maxey among biggest All-Star snubs after East roster revealed
By Lior Lampert
The official 24-man group for the 2025 NBA All-Star Game has officially been announced. We've known who the 10 starters of the league's annual glorified exhibition competition are. But now it's been revealed who will join them and represent the Eastern/Western Conferences off the bench, as the NBA revealed on Thursday night:
While it's a strong collection of talent, not everyone will agree with the results. A combination of fan, player and media votes determines the outcome. So, naturally, debates and controversy arise. Be that as it may, some notable backcourt studs weren't included in the East reserve pool, namely Tyrese Maxey, LaMelo Ball and Trae Young.
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LaMelo Ball, Tyrese Maxey and Trae Young among biggest All-Star snubs after East roster revealed
Ball has been an offensive cog for the Charlotte Hornets this season. His 37.3 usage rate leads the Association and he paces East guards in scoring, averaging 28.2 points per game (PPG). Moreover, the flashy floor general was first among his conference position group in fan voting, which accounts for 50 percent of the ballot. Nevertheless, Tyler Herro, Darius Garland, Damian Lillard and Co. got the nod over him.
Maxey also had a prime All-Star case, only to get snubbed. He's seen his efficiency dip from his breakout 2023-24 Most Improved Player campaign, though he's still balling out for the Philadelphia 76ers. His 27.1 PPG is second in the company of East guards behind Ball, adding 6.0 assists and 1.9 nightly steals.
Like Ball and Maxey, Young had the statistical qualifications to be a 2025 All-Star. But for the second straight year, he was royally screwed over. The Atlanta Hawks offensive hub's 11.4 assists per contest is the best mark in basketball. Conversely to his previously-mentioned peers, he's running the show for a play-in/playoff-contending club, further bolstering the argument.
Nonetheless, if the finalized All-Star teams have taught us anything, the selection process values winning. Maxey, Ball and Young's teams have not done so consistently this season, which damaged their claims.